From the McAuliffe for Governor campaign:
To: Interested Parties
From: Brennan Bilberry, McAuliffe Communications Director
Memo: In Final Days, Cuccinelli Back to Career-Long Focus Restricting Women’s Health
During this campaign, Cuccinelli has attempted to whitewash his career-long record of focusing on restricting women’s health care decisions and outlawing abortion. For voters and Cuccinelli himself, this week has seen a return to his true extreme views and rhetoric.
On Monday, in a Washington Post profile, a radical anti-abortion activist friend of Cuccinelli’s predicted that Cuccinelli would enact his agenda if elected as Governor: “If the social issues work their way to his desk, he’ll move forward on his principles.”
That same Post profile had Cuccinelli effectively admitting that he focused on economic issues, “well, during the campaign.”
On Monday evening, NBC 12 reported on a speech Cuccinelli gave just last year where he predicted punishment against America for allowing women to make their own decisions about abortion. Cuccinelli said, “Given that God does judge nations, it's amazing that abortion has run as far and foully as it has, without what I would consider to be a greater imposition of judgment on this country Who knows what the future holds”
Mid-week, Cuccinelli’s top current surrogate said – at an event for Cuccinelli – that he “did not back down” from comparing America to Nazi Germany because of women’s access to legal abortion and accused America of engaging in a “holocaust.” Cuccinelli refused to distance himself from those remarks.
And just last night, NBC 4 in Washington reported that Cuccinelli defended his offensive “God judges nations” comment by asserting a connection between slavery and women being able to make their own health care decisions.
That follows up on a Charlottesville TV station report from yesterday morning on Cuccinelli also defending his “God judges nations” comments.
While Cuccinelli has spent this campaign pretending to care about jobs and education, those who know him best – his longtime allies and longtime adversaries – agree that Cuccinelli is always most focused on his own extreme agenda of restricting women’s health care access.
This week, Cuccinelli once again showed his true focus.
Background
Cuccinelli Warned of Divine Retribution for Abortion—“Given that God Does Judge Nations, It’s Amazing that Abortion Has Run as Far and Foully as It Has Without What I Would Consider to be a Greater Imposition of Judgment Upon This Country”
In October 2013, NBC 12 reported, “Then later on in the speech, which also touched on gay marriage and other social issues, Cuccinelli gets very specific about his view of God's review of the United States as it relates to to its abortion policies. ‘Really, Given that God does judge nations, it's amazing that abortion has run as far and foully as it has, without what I would consider to be a greater imposition of judgment on this country,’ Cuccinelli said. ‘Who knows what the future holds?’” [NBC 12, 10/14/13, Video]
NBC 4: When Asked to Clarify His Statement that ‘God Would Judge America on the Issue of Abortion,’ “Cuccinelli Compared His View of Abortion to Abraham Lincoln’s View of Slavery”
In October 2013, NBC 4’s Julie Carey reported, “Well Republican candidate for governor Ken Cuccinelli has never tried to hide the fact that he is an enormous opponent of abortion. But Democrats say his latest comments go too far. Democrat have hit Ken Cuccinelli harder on his pro-life viewpoint than any other issue. Earlier this week, they spotlighted a 2012 speech given to the Christian Life Summit in which Cuccinelli talked about how God would judge America on the issue of abortion…Today Democrats spotlighted brand new comments that came when an online TV show host asked Cuccinelli to explain what he had meant, and Cuccinelli compared his view of abortion to Abraham Lincoln’s view of slavery.” [NBC 4, 10/17/13, Video]
Cuccinelli AGAIN Warned God Would Punish the Country for Abortion
In October 2013 on a campaign stop, Cuccinelli repeated his claim that God would punish the country for abortion. WCAV reported:
REPORTER: When asked about it during his campaign stop, Cuccinelli didn’t back down from the statement.
CUCCINELLI: Any time that we get on a wrong track as a country, there are consequences. And you can take that in any policy at all. [WCAV, 10/17/13, Video]
Duggar Clarified That He Was Indeed Comparing the US to Nazi Germany’s Holocaust
According to the Daily Press, ““Ken Cuccinelli needs to immediately ask his surrogate to leave Virginia,” Schwerin continued. “Mr. Duggar's divisive, hurtful, and extreme rhetoric has no place in this campaign for Governor.” Asked about his earlier decision to employ the holocaust metaphor Duggar did not back down. “Let me clarify,” he said. “We have since 1973 (when Roe v. Wade was decided) had 55 million abortions, so what we have going on is a baby holocaust,”Duggar said.” [Daily Press, 11/15/13]
Washington Post Profile on Cuccinelli: “The Middle Is Not Where He Wants To Be”
In October 2013, the Washington Post profile stated, “If Cuccinelli is on the wrong end of a 39-1 vote, or if he stays in place even as much of the country shifts, as he has on the idea that homosexuality is “intrinsically wrong,” he feels no pressure to conform. The middle is not where he wants to be.” [Washington Post, 10/14/13]
Key Cuccinelli Anti-Abortion Strategist: “If The Social Issues Work Their Way To His Desk, He’ll Move Forward On His Principles”
In October 2013, the Washington Post profile quoted long-time Cuccinelli ally Terry Wear, “He never sought office to have a job. He was always more interested in moving an agenda. His goal is to live the views of his faith. Right now, the principal concern is creating jobs. But if the social issues work their way to his desk, he’ll move forward on his principles. We get what we can get today, and we come back for more next week and next month and next year.” [Washington Post, 10/14/13]
Republican Delegate and Cuccinelli Supporter: It Will Be Hard to Convince Voters Cuccinelli Isn’t Radical
In October 2013, the Washington Post profile stated, “Republicans had problems with Cuccinelli, too. Del. Dave Albo, his colleague from Fairfax, supports his bid for governor, but says it will be hard to convince some voters that Cuccinelli is anything but a radical.” [Washington Post, 10/14/13]
Former Republican Delegate on Cuccinelli: “Would Not Vote with His Own Party and Wouldn’t Work At All With The Democrats”
In October 2013, the Washington Post profile stated, “But another Fairfax Republican, Vince Callahan, who spent 40 years in the House and retired in 2008, sees an ideologue ‘who would not vote with his own party and wouldn’t work at all with the Democrats. He was off on a little island by himself. He’s against government. To get things done, you have to work with people. But we never saw him at night. You don’t go to a bar and have a drink with him.’” [Washington Post, 10/14/13]
Former Republican Senator on Cuccinelli: “For Somebody Who Calls Himself a Conservative, He’s Awfully Eager to Impose Himself in People’s Private Lives”
In October 2013, the Washington Post profile stated, “So has Russ Potts, a longtime GOP senator from Winchester who retired in 2008. ‘For somebody who calls himself a conservative, he’s awfully eager to impose himself in people’s private lives,’ Potts says. ‘I sat him down and said, ‘Look, Ken, you get more with honey than you do with vinegar,’ and he just shook his head.’” [Washington Post, 10/14/13]
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